Yousuf case: Bedi commission seeks public view

Srinagar: Justice Bedi Commission of
Inquiry (COI) probing the custodial death of National
Conference worker Syed Mohammad Yousuf on Thursday began its probe
and sought statements from general public in the interest of
proceedings.

The Commission asked the people to submit any knowledge
of the facts of the case in the form of an affidavit and set
January 27 as the last date.

Syed Mohammad Yousuf, an NC worker from south Kashmir`s
Anantnag district, died allegedly in police custody on
September 29 after two fellow party workers had accused him of
taking Rs 1.18 crore from them for getting them berths in the
Legislative Council.

The state government had on November 18 appointed retired
Supreme Court judge H S Bedi as head of the one-man commission
to probe the death of 61-year-old Yousuf in police custody.
The Commission has been asked to complete its probe
within six weeks.

Justice Bedi after assuming charge suspended proceedings
of the Commission in view of a petition being heard by the
apex court, seeking CBI probe into the incident.

The death of Yousuf had triggered a political controversy
in Jammu and Kashmir wherein Chief Minister Omar Abdullah
offered to appear before a judicial probe after Opposition PDP
levelled allegations against him.